Car · Mazda problems

2012 Mazda Mazda3 problems

226 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Mazda Mazda3. The most reported area is power train (transmission and drive) (18% of them). NHTSA also lists 183 service bulletins and 1 recall campaign.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 5. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 226 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Power train (transmission and drive)40 · 18%
• Engine and engine cooling36 · 16%
• Exterior lighting31 · 14%
• Electrical system25 · 11%
• Fuel system22 · 10%
• Speed control and throttle20 · 9%
• Other or unknown18 · 8%
• Air bags17 · 8%

13 smaller areas not shown (118 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 183 repair bulletins from Mazda for the 2012 Mazda Mazda3. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. SA-041-26aReceived October 3, 2026

   Electrical system

   DESCRIPTION If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if...

2. SA-055-26Received September 4, 2026

   Product Quality Information (PQI) DESCRIPTION Service Information MT-041/12 is no longer valid.

3. 09-022-26Received August 4, 2026

   Visibility and wipers

   The changes are noted in Red text.

4. SA-029-26Received May 5, 2026

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   SA-011/24 02/12/24, 06/06/24, 07/29/24 DESCRIPTION Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems.

5. SA-061-25Received January 4, 2026

   Electrical system

   If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any...

6. 07-004-25aReceived January 3, 2026

   A musty/mildew type odor may come from the vents when the air conditioning (A/C) system is operating.

7. SA-020-25aReceived December 5, 2025

   Wheels

   There have been warranty claims submitted for growling or bearing whine noise in differentials, transfer units and transmissions where the source of the noise was a wheel bearing.

8. SA-044-25Received November 5, 2025

   Electrical system

   For improvement of electrical diagnosis, the SKYACTIV® Wiring Terminal Test Kits has been delivered all the dealers.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2012 Mazda Mazda3. Recall repairs are free at a Mazda dealer.

1. 16V644000September 6, 2016

   Structure

   On the affected vehicles, the lift gate support struts may corrode, possibly causing the struts to break and/or the lift gate to drop unexpectedly.

See all 1 recall for the 2012 Mazda Mazda3, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Mazda3 will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Power train (transmission and drive) 40 complaints · 18%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Engine and engine cooling 36 complaints · 16%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Exterior lighting 31 complaints · 14%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 25 complaints · 11%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

0 of 17 characters

Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

Get quotes for your Mazda Mazda3

Tell us the job and your ZIP. Free, takes a minute.

Job

ZIP

WhenAs soon as possibleThis monthJust planning

Your name

Phone

Email

Add a phone, an email, or both.

Anything we should know? (optional) I agree that Fair Price and the car repair shops and lead marketplaces listed on our Partners page, or their agents, may call and email me at the number and email I provided about my request, including by automated technology, even if my number is on a Do Not Call list. Ticking this box is how I give this consent. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms. Get quotes

Fair Price is not a contractor or a repair shop. Who sees your request

2012 Mazda Mazda3: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2012 Mazda Mazda3?

Of the 226 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Mazda Mazda3, 40 (18%) name power train (transmission and drive), and 36 (16%) name engine and engine cooling. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2012 Mazda Mazda3 reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 9 of the 226 complaints as involving a crash and 1 as involving a fire. They also reported 5 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2012 Mazda Mazda3 have?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2012 Mazda Mazda3. Recall repairs are free at a Mazda dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 183 repair bulletins for the 2012 Mazda Mazda3.

More

• 2010 Mazda3 problems
• 2012 recalls
• All Mazda recalls
• Mazda problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.